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Friday, December 28, 2012

Hotel Muse: a blogger's inspiration in Bangkok.

These days, it's either I am too tired or too busy to write anything for my blog. I travel but I never end up putting that experience into words. I wanted to break that cycle this holiday season.

When I find a good opening (meaning regular or long weekends with no patients), I always think of quick places to visit. Since my Philippine airlines (PAL) membership only needed a few thousand miles to reach the next level (I missed it by 1,000 last year), I figured I would fly out of the country for my birthday. Out of all the PAL destinations,Bangkok seemed to be practical since the exchange rate was good and the flight would be shorter.

When I last visited, I was living a pseudo-backpacker lifestyle--a time of reckless abandon, youth and adventure. I had not been back to Asia's City of Smiles in four years. My hedonistic needs were not the center of my traveling. As I grew though, my taste in travel evolved. I loved the idea of staying in hostels or inns before but now, a nice luxury hotel has been standard in my travels.

I wanted to stay in a hotel that would stimulate my senses and inspire me to keep on writing. I was in search of a muse and I found one in Bangkok:Hotel Muse, a luxury boutique hotel in Langsuan. Hotel Muse, a member of the M Gallery group by Le Club Accorhotels couldn't have been more perfect for our short vacation.

Hotel Muse has dark and romantic interiors, inspired by the King Rama V era of Thailand and end of the century Europe (fin de siecle). The design is the right combination of opulence and cosmopolitan chic. There is a seamless blending of the East and the west, the elements of Old Siam and 18 to 19th century France. Its unique concept invites you to a world of pure indulgence.

Hotel muse revolves around its core: Occidental, Oriental, and all things opulent. The hotel is located in Bangkok's most sought-after residential district Langsuan, which is only a short walk to the city's biggest park - Lumpini Park (Think Central Park). If you want to use the public transportation, the city's skytrain is also conveniently located near the hotel. Its quiet neighborhood would be appealing for individuals who do not enjoy seeing crowds of tourist that flock Bangkok everyday.

As soon as you step inside, it feels like you are entering your own apartment in France. It was how imagined my apartment would be like: Chic. Trendy. Modern. Sensual. Opulent. I was running out of adjectives to describe the hotel. The interiors exploded with Classic European design combined with subtle Asian motifs and decors.

I love the look of reception area and lobby. This is a weird description but if you could imagine yourself in romantic haunted house ala Addams Family, it would look like this.

Gilded irons as a design element for the elevators.

Interesting flavors for the welcome drinks - from juice drink to cocktail.

They gave us a room overlooking the park on the 11th floor.

We got the Jatu Deluxe room, the hotel's basic room but it was more than what we expected. The 39 sq meter room had two twin beds, comfortable sofa, and working area.

You can see most of the Muse signature amenities all over the room.

My favorite was the free standing claw foot roll-top bathtub. Only a glass panel separates the bedroom and the bathroom but there's a switch that would automatically bring the blinds down (for privacy!). The bathroom also has a separate spacious rain shower area with dramatic views of the surrounding buildings and parks.

Another touch I loved were the trunks as accent pieces! They also served as table for the magazines.

Aside from its well-appointed rooms, dining choices and other amenities won't disappoint other guests. They have Medici on the ground floor for tasting excellent Italian cuisine.

The Le Salon for afternoon tea or cocktail hours.

Su Tha Ros - The hotel's new age authentic Thai restaurant on the 19th floor.

In the morning, the buffet breakfast is served here. Tip: Always go early and reserve a table by the window overlooking the park.

At night, Su Tha Ros is transformed into a romantic dining place. You can't go wrong with the Thai cuisine here. I originally planned to go to Nahm restaurant (one of the top 50 restaurants in the world) but since it was fully booked, we looked no further. Su Tha Ros proved not only to be convenient but they served authentic Thai dishes.

I am thinking of having my chairs re-upholostered to look like this.

For my birthday dinner, I chose the classic Chicken Satay as the starter. They added some seawood, which provided more flavor and texture for the Satay.

Lamb Curry - I am not a big fan of lamb but since this was well-recommended by the waiting staff, we ordered one. It was surprisingly my favorite for the night. The Lamb's aroma was not too overpowering.

My birthday cake. Mango + Sticky rices shaped like a cake.

The highlight of this hotel would be the Speakeasy, a rooftop bar occupying the 24th to 25th floor. It has different areas that guests would absolutely love - The Long Bar, Terrace Bar, Blind Big Cigar lounge, and the Lawn. Speakeasy reflects modern day lounging in Bangkok for the hip and young crowd.

An unobstructed view of Bangkok from the 24th floor.

The Lawn is my favorite part of the hotel. With its breezy atmosphere, French-inspired domes, synthetic grass, this place would be the best chillout place for people who want a quiet time after a busy day.

The view from the Lawn is not so bad either.

Yours truly having Proseco for his 29th birthday! If life was this good, I will be looking forward to growing older every year.

Other amenities. The Gym on the 19th floor has all the equipment you'll need for a quick workout during your vacation.

The pool is not as big as most five star hotels but its view and atmosphere certainly make up for it.

My Bangkok trip was short (like 2 days) but Hotel Muse was the right inspiration for me to blog again. Every element of this boutique hotel was everything I wanted for my future apartment. The hotel's opulence and understated grandeur made this traveler excited once more about blogging. I can't wait to be back.

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year, Everyone! Thank you for a wonderful year!

12 comments:

Ok, the lobby is chic, the room is sensual and the rooftop bar is amazeballs! No wonder you love this hotel. It may sound silly to some, but I think I'll be able to work on some blog backlogs once I step in that hotel!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Deo! Hope to travel with you this coming 2013 :D

Wow! This is really amazing I am glad to visit your blog Sir and found some happenings experienced you do in Bangkok. I could say that this hotel is perfect because all you need is there. Fine dining, beautiful surroundings that you may relax for and more. Hope someday I can travel on that country and check-in on that hotel. Thanks for sharing it with us.

After reading your blog post I am inspired with the writing and looking forward to write a blog on the same including my view points. I will share my writing content soon! About this blog post, very informative and inspiring as well. Good Job!

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